Method of forming knots



Feb. 22, 1955 A. SHORTLAN D 2,7023

METHQD OF FORMING KNOTS Filed June 25, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 22, 1955 A. SHORTLAND METHOD OF FORMING KNOTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1952 1955 A. SHORTLAND 2,702,718

METHOD OF FORMING KNOTS Filed June 23, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/GZZ Feb. 22, 1955 A. SHORTLAND 2,702,713

METHOD OF FORMING KNOTS Filed June 25, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent METHOD OF FORMING KNOTS Arthur Shortland, Leicester, England, assignor to Mellor Bromley & Co. Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application June 23, 1952, Serial No. 295,042

(Ilaims priority, application Great Britain June 26, 1951 11 Claims. (Cl. 289-) This invention relates to knots, and to methods of forming the same.

Broadly speaking, the term knot is used in this specification to include an interlacement of at least two slender and flexible bodies, or portions of such bodies, of any appropriate character resulting, when tightened, in a knob-like formation whereby the bodies, or portions thereof, are securely tied or fastened together.

Of the bodies capable of being tied or fastened together in accordance with this invention may be mentioned, by way of example, textile yarns or threads or other filaments, ribbons, cords, and so on. For the sake of convenience in the following further description, however, the term yarns will be used in a generic sense to include any of the various slender and flexible bodies concerned.

Although there is no limitation in this respect, the invention is more especially applicable to knots capable of being made mechanically with the aid of knot-tying devices. In this connection, the invention 15 principally intended for application to knots serving to tie or fasten together ends of yarns being dealt with in textile machinery, such, for instance, as spinning and winding machines, knitting machines, weaving looms and the like.

It has heretofore been found in practice that, owing to their springiness, smoothness and general liveliness, certain yarns, such as mohair, cross-bred, worsteds and smooth synthetic yarns are difficult to tie into knots of conventional form. In fact, it has previously been practically impossible to tie certain of these yarns mechanically.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of readily tying or fastening together in an elficient knot the most intractable of yarn ends. The method is suitable for producing not only certain forms of conventional knots, but also a new or improved fundamental knot formation providing the basis for at least one family of knots which are easier to tie, especially mechanically, than some conventional knots.

According to this invention, then, there is provided a method of producing a knot serving to tie together at least two yarn ends which includes the steps of (a) making at least one loop of one or both of the said ends with the aid of a hooked instrument, (b) by means of this instrument drawing through the said loop either a further single loop, or the first of a plurality of successively interengaged loops, of either or both of the yarn ends, and (0) so manipulating the said instrument as to engage either or both of the yarn ends and pull the same through the further single loop, or the last of the plurality of the said interengaged loops, as the case may be.

The term loop is used in a generic sense and is intended to include, where the context so admits, a bight, i. e. bend, in contradistinction to a full loop.

In carrying out the improved method, it is convenient to use any appropriate hooked instrument, such as a knitting needle or a crochet hook, capable of being so manipulated or actuated as to engage yarns, draw loops of yarn through other loops and be readily released from such yarns, according to requirements. A knitting needle of the latch type is found to be eminently satisfactory for the intended purpose.

In using the improved method to produce certain forms of conventional knots, as will be hereinafter described, the loops may be made in one of the yarn ends only, the other varn end being merely pulled through the last formed loop, and the knot being formed (in contradistinction to being finally tightened) by pulling in oppo- "ice site directions on portions of the first mentioned yarn end. The first loop may conveniently be one produced by first causing the hooked instrument to engage and draw upon the relevant yarn end, and then turning the instrument about its longitudinal axis to the extent of either a partial or more than one revolution to twist the said end and so close the loop.

Alternatively, the relevant yarn end and the hooked instrument may be relatively manipulated as to cause a plurality of convolutions of the said end to be coiled around the stem of the needle and so produce in that yarn end two or more coaxial loops through which a further loop of the desired yarn end is subsequently drawn.

The improved method may also be employed in the production of another knot formation providing the basis of a new family of knots as follows: Making a closed loop in one of the yarn ends with the aid of the hooked instrument, by means of this instrument thereupon drawing through the said closed loop a further loop of the other yarn end, and so manipulating the instrument as to engage the first mentioned yarn end only and pull the same through the said further loop.

According to a modification of this procedure, both, instead of one only, of the yarn ends are engaged by the hooked instrument and pulled through the said further loop.

Thus, wherever only one further loop is drawn through the first formed loop, the yarn end or ends extends or extend directly through this further loop. Where, on the other hand, the knot incorporates a plurality of successively formed additional loops, then the said knot will include a chain of loops of which the first of the additional loops will be drawn through the first formed loop, the second additional loop will be drawn through the first additional loop, and so on, either or both of the yarn ends extending through the last of the chain of loops.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, some specific examples of knots and methods of producing the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figures 1 to 5 illustrate, in diagrammatic fashion, a method wherein the loops are made in one only of two yarn ends,

Figure 6 shows the knot produced by this procedure in its finally tightened form,

Figures 7-l3 depict the successive stages in the production of a knot of the same family as that shown in Figure 6, but wherein there are coaxial loops of one of the yarn ends produced by coiling this end around the stem of the needle,

Figure 14 represents the said knot in its finally tightened form,

Figures l5l9 show a series of additional steps for converting the knot depicted in Figure 6 into two connected knots, such as those illustrated in Figure 20,

Figures 21-26 show a procedure wherein loops of both yarn ends are drawn through one another,

Figure 27 shows the knot produced by the procedure illustrated in Figures 2l26, and

Figure 28 shows, in the course of production, a knot incorporating a chain of interknitted loops of both of the yarn ends.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

In producing the knot K illustrated in Figure 6, which knot serves to tie together the shaded and un-shaded yarn ends 1 and 2 respectively, a knitting needle 3 is, as shown in Figure 1, first caused to engage and take into its hook 3a the yarn end 1. After being retracted somewhat, the needle 3 is turned about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrow A (Figure l), to the extent of half a revolution, suchwise as partially to twist that yarn at 5 and so produce therein a closed loop 4 (see Figure 2). Next, the needle 3 is disengaged from the closed loop 4 and then advanced through the latter in the direction of the arrow B. As a consequence, the latch 3b of the needle opens, and the hook 3a is caused to engage the same yarn end 1 in the manner depicted in Figure 3. By subsequent retraction of the knitting needle in the direction of the arrow C, the engaged yarn end 1 is drawn into a further loop 6 which is pulled through the closed loop 4 (see Figure 4). Then the needle is pushed forwards again through the loop 6 and, with its latch 3b open again, is caused to engage the other yarn end 2 and pull the same through the second formed loop 6. At this stage the knot K is formed by pulling on the body portions 1a and 1b of the yarn end 1 at opposite sides of the interengaged loops 4 and 6in the direction of the arrows D and E respectively. The result of this action is to draw up the loop 4 and pull the loop 6, together with the portion 2a of the yarn end 2, back through the said loop 4. The knot is finally tightened by pulling the yarn ends 1 and 2 in the directions of the arrows shown in Figure 6. In producing this knot, moreover, the yarn end 2 is cut OK to length before it is pulled through the loop 6, and the yarn end 1 is cut after the knot is formed as aforesaid.

To produce the triple knot depicted in Figure 14, the first yarn end (Figure 7) to be engaged by the knitting needle 3 is the un-shaded one designated by the numeral 2 (although it could, of course, be the shaded yarn end 1). With the needle latch 3b open, the hook 3a of the needle is first engaged with the yarn end 2 whereupon the needle is turned about its longitudinal axis to the extent of three complete revolutions in the direction of the arrow F. During rotation of the needle, the yarn end 2 is maintained in the hook 3a, and as a consequence, three convolutions of the said end are caused to be wrapped or coiled around the stem of the needle, thereby producing in that yarn end, as shown in Figure 9, three co-axial closed loops 7. In Figure 8, the needle is shown in the course of being turned as just described. Next, the head of the needle 3 is advanced in the direction of the arrow B right through the series of adjacent co-axial loops 7 and, with the latch 3b still open, is caused to engage and draw into a loop 8 another portion of the same yarn end 2. As the result of retraction of the needle in the direction of the arrow C, the latch 3b closes and the newly drawn loop 8 is pulled through the co-axial loops 7 in the manner illustrated in Figure 11. In the last mentioned figure, the needle is shown in the course of being advanced again, this time through the loop 8, so that the latch 3b opens. Next, the advanced needle is caused to take into its hook 3a the yarn end 1 (Figure 12) and is thereupon retracted yet again to pull this end through the loop 8 (see Figure 13). The knot K is formed in this example by pulling on the portions 20 and 2b of the yarn end 2 at opposite sides of the interengaged loops 7 and 8- in the directions of the arrows D and E respectively, and the knot is finally tightened by pulling the yarn ends in the directions of the arrows in Figure 14. The yarn end 1 is cut ofi to length before it is pulled through the loop 8, and the yarn end 2 is cut after the knot K has been formed.

The aforementioned co-axial loops 7 could alternatively be formed by holding the knitting needle 3 stationary and wrapping the yarn end 2 around the stem of the needle the appropriate number of times.

The knot shown in Figure 6 can readily be converted into two similar connected knots such as those illustrated at K and K in Figure 20 by the additional procedure now to be described with reference to Figures 15-19. According to this procedure, immediately after the tightening of the first portion K of the double knot, the needle 3 is caused to engage the running length of the yarn end 2 and to make therein a closed loop 9; this is done by retracting the needle somewhat and turning it about its longitudinal axis to the extent of half a revolution (compare Figures 15 and 16). Next, the needle is disengaged from, and pushed through, the loop 9 whereupon it is caused to engage again the same yarn end 2. Retraction of the needle 3 at this stage results in the formation of a further loop of the yarn end 2 (see Figure 7) which further loop is drawn through the closed loop 9, in the manner indicated in Figure 18. After this, the needle is again advanced, this time to engage the free portion 10 of the yarn end 1 (Figure 19). As a consequence of subsequent retraction of the needle the portion 10 is pulled through the loop 10, and the double knot formation K, K is finally tightened by pulling on the yarn ends 1 and 2 in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Figure 20.

The further practical form of knot depicted at K in Figure 27 is produced by the procedure illustrated in Figures 21-26 and now to be described. First, the knitting needle is caused to engage and take into its hook 3a the yarn 1 into a loop 11, the needle is turned about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrow F (Figure 21) to the extent of a full revolution so as to produce in that yarn end a full twist 12 serving to close the loop 11 as depicted in Figure 22. Next, the needle 3 is disengaged from the closed loop 11 and then advanced through the latter in the direction of the arrow B. The needle latch 3b opens as a consequence, thereby enabling the hook 3a to be thereupon engaged with the other yarn end 2 as shown in Figure 23. By retraction of the needle in the direction of the arrow C, the engaged yarn end 2 is drawn into a further loop 13 which is pulled through the closed loop 11 (Figure 24). Then the needle is pushed forwards again through the loop 13 and, with its latch 3b open, is manipulated to engage portions 1c and 2c of both yarn ends 1 and 2 as shown in Figure 25. Subsequent retraction of the needle 3 pulls the engaged portions 10 and 20 through the loop 13, in the manner depicted in Figure 26, and the knot is tightened by pulling on the yarn ends 1 and 2 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 27.

Instead of both yarn ends 1 and 2 being pulled through the loop 13 in the final stages of producing a knot such as that shown in Figure 27, the yarn end 1 only may be pulled through the said loop.

In carrying out the improved method of producing knots a chain of additional loops may, if desired, be successively formed, each loop being of either or both of the yarn ends. The first additional loop of such a chain would be drawn through the first formed loop, the second of the additional loops being similarly drawn through the first additional loop, and so on. An example of a knot incorporating a chain of additional loops is shown, in the course of production, in Figure 28. Through the first formed loop 14 in the yarn end 1 is drawn a second loop 15 made in the yarn end 2. A third loop 16 of the yarn end 1 is drawn through the second loop 15, and a fourth loop 17 of the yarn end 2 is similarly drawn through the third loop 16. This particular knot is completed by drawing either the portion 1d of the yarn end 1 only, or the portions 1d and 2d of both yarn ends 1 and 2 through the fourth loop 17, and then tightening the knot by pulling on both yarn ends in opposite directions.

The precise form and size of a knot may, therefore, be varied, within the scope of the invention, by multiplying the number of loops incorporated therein or/ and by complicating the interlacing or interweaving of the yarns as is conventional in the art.

Moreover, more than two yarns or the like may, if

desired, be tied together by the method of this inventron.

I claim:

1. A method of producing a knot serving to tie together two yarn ends of yarn bodies comprising the steps of making at least one first loop of at least one of the said ends, forming a further loop of at least one of the said yarn ends, passing said further loop through said first loop, passing a portion of said other yarn end through the further loop and applying tension to the bodies by pulling them in opposite directions.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the further loop is made in one of the yarn ends only, the other yarn end being merely pulled through the last formed loop.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the further loop is formed of the same yarn end as the first loop, the other yarn end'being cut oif to length and passed through the further loop and the yarn end in which the first loop and further loop are formed being cut to length after the knot is made.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said further loop is a single loop.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first of a plurality of successively interengaged loops are drawn through said first loop and the portion of said other yarn end is passed through the last of the plurality of said interengaged loops.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first loop is twisted to fully close the loop.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first loop is given at least one degree twist.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first loop consists of several convolutions forming at least two co-axial loops.

9. A method of producing a knot serving to tie together two yarn ends of yarn bodies comprising the steps of making a closed loop in one of said yarn ends, forming a further loop in the other yarn end, drawing the further loop through the closed loop, drawing at least the first mentioned yarn end through the further loop, and applying tension to the yarn bodies by pulling them in opposite directions.

10. A method of producing a knot serving to tie together two yarn ends of yarn bodies comprising the steps of making a closed loop in one of the said yarn ends, forming a second loop in the other of the yarn ends, passing the second loop through the closed loop, concatenating with the closed loop and the second loop, further loops formed alternately in the two yarn ends with the last of the chain of loops being one drawn from the yarn end having the second loop, drawing at least the first mentioned yarn end through the last formed loop and applying tension to the yarn bodies by pulling them in opposite directions.

11. A method of producing a knot serving to tie together two yarn ends of yarn bodies comprising the steps of first forming a closed loop in one of the yarn ends, forming a further loop in the same yarn end, drawing such further loop through the closed loop, applying tension to the yarn bodies at opposite sides of the interengaged loops thus formed, making a loop in the body of the other yarn end, forming a second loop in said other yarn end, passing the second loop through the loop of the other yarn end, engaging the short end of the first named yarn end, drawing such short end through the second formed loop of the other yarn end, and applying tension to both yarn ends by pulling such ends in opposite directions to form the knot.

Encyclopedia of Knots and Fancy Rope Work, by Raoul Graurnont and John Hensel from the Cornell Maritime Press of New York, 1945, third edition. 

